Lost and Found
by Hanyounoshikon
Summary: Sesshoumaru's and Inuyasha's parents die in a car crash and the brothers are left alone to deal with their emotions and the pain from losing the ones they love. This story explains how they developed their personalities and their relationship.


**Another serious one-shot. This was written by the writers who play InuYasha and Sesshoumaru. This is another serious brother moment between the two. It an AU setting story, and it explains how the two got to be the people they are today. **

**We encourage everyone to check out the original accounts of these writers. And to check out the RPG site itself. We are still searching for a few more members. **

**Disclaimer: We do not own Inuyasha. All Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. **

* * *

Inuyasha sat up close in front of the television, his eyes glued to the screen as he watched an action anime, ignoring his older brother's warning that he'd ruin his eye sight. Being a ten-year-old, his eyes were the least of his concern. But he found that his eyes always returned to the digital clock on their DVD player, checking the time. _Mommy should be home soon... _He thought to himself and smiled.

Sesshoumaru was sitting behind his brother, concentrating all of his energy on math worksheet that was due the next day in high school. Being a second year student meant that he had a lot of work to do in order to prepare for his entry into college. _Damn geometrical shapes... And why does math have English letters anyway? _he mentally complained.

Inuyasha's show was over and he groaned, falling on his back. "When is okaa-chan coming home?" Inuyasha asked, watching his brother work on his homework. He was so wrapped up in his work, he seem to be ignoring the hanyou. "Niisan, when is okaa-chan suppose to come home?" Inuyasha asked again, now in a whiny voice.

Sesshoumaru put his pencil down, letting out an irritated huff. "They should be coming back in a short while," he answered, trying not to growl. "Could you please stop asking me that every five minutes?"

"Sorry...niisan..." He murmured for the sixth time that night and sighed. He was about to go find something interesting to do when the doorbell rang. His ears twitched in the direction of the door and his eyes lit up.

"Okaa-chan is home!" He exclaimed. The doorbell rang a second time.

Sesshoumaru sighed, thankful that they were supposedly home. He wanted to get back to his work as soon as possible.

But the doorbell continued to ring followed by a series of knocks following it. "Maybe okaa-can and tou-sama lost their key?" Inuyasha blinked up at his brother, waiting for him to answer the door.

Sesshoumaru heaved another sigh, rising up from his seat on the floor to go for the door. Though, he couldn't particularly blame his brother since he was forbidden from answering the door because of his young age. But... why couldn't he ever get his work done in peace?

Shaking such annoying thoughts out of his head, he opened the door.

But the people outside were no their parents, but police officers. Inuyasha hid behind his brother's leg, wondering where his parents were. "Is this the Takahashi residence?"

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow raised. Something was wrong with this. "Yes," he answered cautiously. "Is there something wrong?"

Inuyasha looked from the men to his brother, not quite understanding the gravity of the situation. "May we come in?" One of them asked, their hats removed from their heads as they stared at the brothers with grave expressions.

Sesshoumaru felt the pit of his stomach do a flip. Something was _very _wrong with this. He couldn't even speak, standing aside to allow them entrance.

The police officers looked at Inuyasha and then back at Sesshoumaru. "Sir, you may want to take a seat." One of them suggested. Their eyes fell back on Inuyasha, the small 10-year-old, and then back at the uneasy 17-year-old.

Sesshoumaru felt his legs grow weak and did as the officer suggested. "W-what's going on?" he demanded, his voice beginning to gain back it's strong demeanor.

"There was an accident." One began. "A car accident."

Sesshoumaru managed to piece two and two together. "A-are our parents okay?" he asked, not wanting to think negative thoughts.

"I'm sorry. They died on impact."

Inuyasha blinked, not believing what his young mind just heard. Died? No, it was a joke right? His parents were playing a cruel joke on him...they weren't...dead.

"W-what...?" Sesshoumaru could only say, his eyes widening. "T-that's impossible!"

"I'm sorry, sir." They lowered their heads. Inuyasha turned to Sesshoumaru, his eyes widening.

"They're lying, right niisan? Okaa-chan and tousama aren't dead right? They're alright, right?" He asked, his whole body began to tremble.

Sesshoumaru's head lowered, his bangs covering his expression. The hands on his lap tightened into fists. He didn't know if he was angry or just upset. He ignored his brother for a second, thinking to himself. "How did they die?" he demanded, his voice going colder than ever before.

"A car ran a red light, hitting them while they were driving across the intersection...and then another car hit them as well. The second impact must have killed them." They answered, trying to be a bit vague, due to Inuyasha's presence.

Inuyasha didn't understand why Sesshoumaru was ignoring him. His eyes narrowed as he turned to the police officers. "You're lying!" He snapped, his eyes glaring at them but the brim of his eyes began to fill up with tears. "Okaa-chan and tousama aren't dead! YOU'RE _LYING_!"

Sesshoumaru's head snapped up, his eyes appearing nearly void of emotion. However, once he looked at Inuyasha, a brief flash of anger appeared in it. He knew that Inuyasha didn't grasp the situation well because of his young age, but he also knew that it wasn't going to many anything better.

"Inuyasha," he growled, pulling the boy back so he wouldn't cause any trouble.

Looking at the police officers, he asked, "How do you know that they are our parents? Was the identification there?"

"Yes. Inutaisho and Izayoi Takahashi." They answered, their voices grave as they watched the small boy fight back the tears in his eyes.

"They're lying...they're lying niisan..." Inuyasha managed out, screwing his eyes shut and he shook his head, tears still hadn't began to fall yet.

Sesshoumaru grit his teeth, finding it increasingly harder to put up with Inuyasha's words and the seriousness of the situation. What could he do? "What do you suppose we can do now?" he asked, hating what the answer would be.

"Do you have a relative you can call to stay with for the night?" One asked him.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. There were no other relatives close to them. If they did live nearby, they were dead now. "Our parents were our only family."

"How about a family friend? Someone your parents trusted and were close to help you two?"

Inuyasha tried to block out the conversation, his eyes still closed and finally the tears began to spill over. _Okaa-chan can't be dead...I just saw her...I jus saw okaa-chan... _Inuyasha thought, the tears slowly sliding down his cheeks.

"The closest friend they had lives half way across the country," Sesshoumaru explained. It was amazing how calm he sounded despite the inner turmoil he was suffering from.

The officers looked at one another, not sure what else to do for the two. "I see. We're a terribly sorry for your loss."

Sesshoumaru felt himself grow angry for some unexplained reason. He shot a cold glare at the adults in the room. "Petty apologies aren't enough to bring them back, now, is it?" he nearly snarled, not even caring if the officers were trying their best to help them. Knowing that his brother was still held back by him, he subconsciously gripped Inuyasha's hand in a sort of comforting manner.

The officers looked at one another. "We're sorry." The said once more, knowing it had little effect. "It seems you need some time with your brother...we'll be leaving now."

Inuyasha's eyes finally opened after silently crying to himself, his eyes glaring up at the officers, rage and sorrow visible in his golden orbs. "Why didn't you help them!? Why didn't you save them?! You're police officers! You're suppose to save my okaa-chan and tousama!" He screamed at them, not able to contain the anger and sadness he felt.

"Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru snapped, knowing that both of them yelling at the officers would do them no good. And yet, his hand never let go of his brother's at the same time...

The officers flinched at Inuyasha's words, but looked at Sesshoumaru. "The funeral will be taken care of for you. We, or some other officers, will return tomorrow to check on you two." They informed him, finally leaving the brothers.

Despite the hold Sesshoumaru had on his head, he suddenly broke away from him, his eyes full of tears. "They didn't do anything to help okaa-chan or tousama!" He shouted at Sesshoumaru, hot angry tears rolled down his flustered face.

Sesshoumaru heaved a sigh, still burning with rage. "Inuyasha, what do you think they could do? They were probably killed before any of them knew about it." He knew that it was useless to reason with him since he was so young.

"This isn't fair niisan!" Inuyasha continued to shout, unable to control his emotions. "Okaa-chan...tousama...they can't be dead...they can't!" Inuyasha shook his head, crumbling to his knees.

Sesshoumaru felt his body move on its own. Within seconds, he was on the ground, hugging his brother against him. "Whether or not they are dead, I'll protect you," he vowed in a murmur, trying to comfort Inuyasha.

For a moment, Inuyasha's entire body went still and he suddenly buried his face into Sesshoumaru's shoulder, his sobs muffled. "N-Niisan..." He whimpered, his small hands clinging to his brother.

Sesshoumaru's chin rested above Inuyasha's head, his bangs covering his eyes again. He didn't dare say anything, and only clutched Inuyasha against his body. However, without him even realizing or feeling it, a tear slipped from one of his eyes, falling onto the small hand fastened to his shoulder.

Why? Why did it have to be like this? Why did their parents have to die? _Okaa-chan...tousama...I'll never see them again...I'll never see okaa-chan again. Okaa-chan... _This seem to increase the rate of how his tears fell, his small body jerking with each sob.

_Why this again? First my mother and now _them_?! _Sesshoumaru thought to himself, inwardly raging. Another tear fell, but this time he noticed. Blinking back more, he was shocked that he shed tears for them. He never remembered crying, even as a small child. _I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised... _he thought bitterly.

"O-Okaa-chan..." Inuyasha cried. The thought of not seeing his mother...the woman who loved him more than anything in the world. The first person he saw in the morning and the last person before he went to bed...

"...no..." His heart ached, and he couldn't stop his tears. "...I miss her...I miss okaa-chan..."

Sesshoumaru sucked in a shaky breath, still not used to the feeling of sadness to this degree. He could only think to protect his brother as if it were animal instinct.

Inuyasha's mind began to blur, his body felt tired and weak. But despite how tired he felt, is hands clung to Sesshoumaru as if his life depended on it. His eyelids began to get heavy, the tears didn't stop, and he slumped against his brother's body.

Knowing that his back was near the coffee table, Sesshoumaru rested against it, pulling his brother back with him, knowing that Inuyasha wouldn't want to be alone. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, but knew that he'd get no sleep that night.

While Inuyasha slept, his grip on Sesshoumaru's shirt didn't loosen and small tears trickled down his cheeks. "Okaa...-chan..." He murmured in his sleep, his face anything but peaceful.

Sesshoumaru didn't dare look down at his brother's face. He knew what to expect, which wouldn't help his failing attempt to rest his mind.

All he could do was make sure Inuyasha wasn't left alone.

-----------------------------------------

Inuyasha's eyes slowly began to open, at some point at night, his tears had stopped and he fell into a deep slumber. _Please...tell me it was a nightmare... _Inuyasha thought but realized he wasn't alone. He was with Sesshoumaru and this confirmed his fears.

Sesshoumaru felt his brother move and he blinked his eyes open, certain that they were tinted red from a lack of sleep. "Inuyasha," he spoke, wondering what his brother would do.

"T-They're...g-gone?" Inuyasha asked, his voice quaking...no, his entire body began to shake all over again. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he just hoped that maybe...for some reason, he was sleeping with his brother just because and it was all a nightmare.

Sesshoumaru sighed, not wanting to answer his brother. He knew Inuyasha would just cry again.

"They're gone, aren't they?" Inuyasha demanded, his eyes red and puffy from crying. "Answer me!"

Sesshoumaru seemed very unlike himself. His focus didn't seem to be as sharp as it usually was.

Inuyasha stood up, grabbing Sesshoumaru's collar, his eyes widen in anger, frustration and pain as his little hands tugged on his shirt. "Why won't you answer me?! WHY?!" He shouted, shaking him violently...or as violent as he could.

Sesshoumaru was instantly yanked back into reality. His eyes narrowed at his brother and he roughly shoved him back so that he fell over. "Yes!" he declared, finally snapping. "They're fucking dead!" Sesshoumaru blamed his present mood on a lack of sleep and the depressing situation at hand. "Inuyasha, stop acting like you're the only one suffering!"

So many emotions ran through his mind at the moment. Suddenly his sorrow transformed into anger and he gritted his teeth. In the midst of his confused emotions, he glared at his brother, more angry tears running down his face.

"I-I..." His voice quivered, his heart and mind weren't able to comprehend what was happening. "..._hate _you." But before Sesshoumaru had a chance to respond, Inuyasha turned and dashed out of the room and then out of the house.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, not moving for several minutes. He was in shock. Not only that, but he was still exhausted and now he'd have to look for his idiotic brother!

Moving towards the phone, he called the police, asking them to start a search party for his brother if he couldn't find him within a few hours. With that, he left the house and locked the door shut behind him. What had he done? Damn his irritated state!

Inuyasha ran blindly down the street, and with his speed, he could run faster and farther than a normal human could. What felt like hours, was only minutes and Inuyasha felt his legs give out and he hit the ground. His cheek hit a rock and he groaned slightly, moving away from the rock.

His cheek throbbed and he attempted to stand up, tears dripping onto the ground.

"S-Stupid...n-n-niisan..." He choked out, rubbing his red cheek. With whatever strength he had left, he crawled over to a tree and sat there. He pulled is legs up to his chest, burying his face in his knees.

Sesshoumaru ran around the neighborhood, asking others if they had seen a "young boy with gold eyes and white hair." No one knew the answer and so he ran for nearly two hours. Though, the running in itself seemed to be relieving to him.

"Inuyasha!" he shouted, not wanting to be out until nighttime. He didn't know how bad this area could be past sundown.

Inuyasha's ears twitched at the sound of his brother's voice, but the rest of his body was unmoved. He stayed where he sat, not wanting to get up. His cheek was throbbing in pain, he could already feel it begin to blacken. He squeezed his legs even tighter, clenching his teeth to suppress any noises that wanted to come form his mouth.

"Dammit," Sesshoumaru growled under his breath. "Why did I say that?" he asked himself. He kept walking forward, looking around the area, hoping that his brother would turn out.

However, he could feel his speed slow drastically. He hadn't thought that his lack of sleep would affect his energy as much, but now he was facing the consequences. Sesshoumaru walked forward, spotting a tree he could hopefully rest against. Instead of catching his breath, he fell forward, effectively passing out.

The sound of a loud "thud" caused Inuyasha's head to snap up and his eyes widen in horror. "NIISAN?!" He gasped, hopping to his feet and crawled over to Sesshoumaru. With the recent loss of his parents, the worst came to mind.

"Niisan....niisan don't die! Please don't die!" Inuyasha pleaded, grabbing onto Sesshoumaru and shook his unconscious body.

"Wake up, niisan! Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to run out! I didn't mean to say I hate you... I don't hate you niisan...niisan... don't leave me like okaa-can and tousama..." Inuyasha sobbed.

Sesshoumaru was still out of it, but he vaguely heard his brother's frantic shouts. He just couldn't move or speak, feeling like his body was frozen to the ground.

"Niisan please...please don't leave me!" Inuyasha cried, his entire body quaking, and there seem to be even more tears than ever before. "Niisan please... I need you...Niisan... I love you niisan, please wake up!"

Sesshoumaru felt like he was clawing his way back to the surface of blackness. After a few more minutes and feeling droplets of Inuyasha's tears on his cheeks, Sesshoumaru's eyes blinked open slowly. "Inu...yasha...?" he questioned, still out of it.

"N-Niisan?" Inuyasha blinked, overwhelmed with joy. "N-Niisan is alright? Niisan isn't dying?" Inuyasha asked, tears continued to cascade down his face, his nose runny.

Sesshoumaru rose up slowly, still feeling like his strength was drained from his body. He shook his head, glad to see Inuyasha happy even if for a few minutes. "I was just tired," he replied. "I stayed up all night holding you, you know?"

More tears ran down his face. "I-I'm s-so h-happy...I-I thought I was going to lose n-n-niisan too and be all alone..." Inuyasha hiccupped, unable to control his crying.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, feeling bad for what had happened to his brother. "Inuyasha, I'm sorry for what I said earlier, okay?" he apologized. "I just snapped due to the emotions I felt." He then lightly gripped Inuyasha's shoulder, growing more comforting. "I don't intend on ever leaving your side right now."

"I'm sorry too... I don't hate niisan..." Inuyasha sniffled and suddenly hugged Sesshoumaru. "I-I won't leave niisan either!"

Sesshoumaru returned the embrace, glad that Inuyasha had forgiven him. With this one dilemma solved, they had to now get over their parents' deaths. They remained in that position until he felt the slight breeze of the approaching night.

"Inuyasha," he murmured, getting his brother's attention. "We need to go home before we get sick."

Inuyasha rubbed his eyes, nodding his head. "Okay...is niisan feeling alright?" Inuyasha asked, concerned for his brother's health since he passed out.

Sesshoumaru nodded, standing up beside his brother. "I'll be fine after I get some sleep tonight," he replied. "Right now, we have to concentrate on staying healthy."

"Okay..." Inuyasha nodded his head and then grabbed Sesshoumaru's hand.

Sesshoumaru squeezed Inuyasha's hand back in return while the pair walked home together.

Once inside the house Inuyasha realized how empty their home was. He knew that every day when he came home, his mother wasn't going to be there with a bowl of ramen for him. Inuyasha squeezed Sesshoumaru's hand tighter as he tried his best to keep himself together.

Sesshoumaru noticed his brother's sudden change in mood and gave him a comforting look. "Inuyasha, I'll take care of you to the best of my ability," he told him. "You won't have to worry about being by yourself for a while."

Inuyasha stared up at his older brother, a small smile on his face. He then realized how tired his brother looked and began to walk to the stairs, still holding Sesshoumaru's hand. "Niisan should sleep. Niisan looks very tired."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I'm not leaving you by yourself."

"But niisan looks really tired..." Inuyasha tugged on his arm more, trying to take Sesshoumaru up to his room. "...niisan didn't sleep when I did. Niisan needs to sleep...so niisan doesn't pass out anymore."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Will that please you, then?"

Inuyasha nodded his head, desperately wanting his brother to sleep. _I've been so selfish lately...niisan is so tired and hurting... niisan needs to sleep!_

"And what will you do while I'm asleep?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Umm...play in my room?" Inuyasha suggested, not sure if that was really a wise choice. His room... where he spent a lot of his time with his mother.

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow, seeing how uncomfortable Inuyasha looked. "Are you sure?"

He was uncomfortable with being alone in his room... but he couldn't stay away from his room forever. "Y-Yeah. I'm okay. Niisan should sleep."

"If you're sure..." he sighed, entering his room. "I'll just leave my door open in case you want to come in."

Inuyasha nodded his head, turning to his room. He hesitantly walked to it, slowly turning the knob as he opened the door. His room was untouched from the last time he was in it. He closed his door and walked over to is bed, grabbing the blanket his mother had gave to him a long time ago. He hugged it, trying to control his emotions as he laid alone in his room.

Sesshoumaru walked to his bed and fell back onto it, instantly falling asleep when his head hit the pillow. His last thoughts were of Inuyasha's mental state.

It was going to be a long time till he got use to the idea of him not able to see his mother every day. Inuyasha closed his eyes, wishing he could sleep at the moment but he wasn't all that tired for some reason.

Oh, he somehow wish Sesshoumaru hadn't fallen asleep--he wouldn't be alone in his room at the moment if he was. But he knew his brother desperately needed sleep. There was no way around it and so he continued to lay on his bed, his mind full of memories of his mother.

---------------------

Eventually, little Inuyasha had fallen asleep and when he woke up--his face was wet. He rubbed his eyes, a small yawn passed through his lips and he looked around his room. Everything was the same as when he had fallen asleep. He wondered how Sesshoumaru was doing, so with his blanket in his hand, Inuyasha ventured down the hall and to his big brother's room.

By this time, Sesshoumaru had already woken up and was dressing himself in clothes. Once he was dressed, he stepped out of the room and nearly ran into his brother. "Inuyasha?" he questioned, looking down at the boy.

It looked like Inuyasha had cried himself to sleep.

Inuyasha blinked up at his brother, "Did niisan sleep alright?"

Sesshoumaru nodded his head before giving his brother a small, but hopeful smirk. "Yes, I'm better now," he replied. "Thank you."

Despite how his face looked, Inuyasha smiled at his brother, but it didn't last very long. "What do we do now?"

Sesshoumaru blinked, slightly depressed at the idea that he had no clue what to do. "Well... are you hungry?" he asked his brother. "I know you haven't eaten since two days ago."

Inuyasha hadn't realized he hadn't eaten. With his parents death, food was the farthest thing from his mind. "I'm not really hungry." He honestly said, his gaze shifted to the ground.

Suddenly, the phone began to ring.

Sesshoumaru sighed, knowing that sooner or later he'd have to force something down his brother's throat. He wouldn't have his brother dying from starvation any time soon. Once the phone rang, he was almost afraid to answer it, but did anyways. "Hello?" he asked upon picking up the phone.

"Hello, Takahashi-san." A police officer was on the other line. "I wanted to inform you about your parent's funeral. It's today, this afternoon."

Sesshoumaru's face paled upon hearing the information. "W-what?" he breathed out, completely caught off guard. The funeral was this soon? Why was there no warning beforehand?

"Yes. We're sorry to inform you so late. We tried reaching you yesterday but no one answered the phone." He answered.

Well, no wonder. He was too busy trying to chase down his brother... _Dammit. _What could he say to Inuyasha? It's not like he wanted to say, "Let's go see mom and dad lying dead in boxes"! This situation pissed him off more than upset him.

His eyes narrowed. "When and where is it?" he bit out, trying his best to remain calm but failing. "And how would we even get there?" It wasn't like he was old enough to drive and without instructions, did they even have the money to by shinkansen tickets?

"We will send someone over there, it's at five and someone will be there an hour before." He answered. "Everything you will need will be provided as well."

"Okay..." he trailed off, trying not to growl over the line. "Thank you for telling us," he added, obvious to anyone else listening that he didn't mean it. He then slammed down the phone, still raging. What the hell was he going to do?!

"What's wrong, niisan?" Inuyasha asked, tugging on Sesshoumaru's pant leg.

He let out a calming breath, not wanting to snap at his brother again.

"...Inuyasha..." he murmured with his head bowed. His voice cracked slightly, more than he meant it to. "...Today....today, you...we... have to say goodbye to Mother and Father."

"H-Huh?" He blinked, not fully understanding what he meant...but after a moment or two, it finally hit him. "B-But...I-I-I..." He was tongue tied as his eyes began to water once more.

"T-they're coming to pick us up in a few hours..." he added, looking down at his brother before looking away. He hated to see Inuyasha cry now. It just made his heart ache.

No, he wasn't ready to say good bye yet. It was too soon. His heart couldn't bear it right now. "I-I don't wanna go." Inuyasha declared, trying his hardest not to cry.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I know. I don't want to go either," he admitted. That was the last thing he wanted to see. "However..." he began, sinking onto his knees so that he was level with his brother. "If you don't pay your respects now, you'll regret it later." He didn't want to explain anymore because it would have required giving details to a funeral service.

"B-But...I don't want to go...I'll know okaa-chan will be there--but it won't be okaa-chan...it won't." He began to cry all over again, bringing the back of his hands to his eyes, trying to stop his tears.

Sesshoumaru couldn't help himself. He wrapped his arms around Inuyasha in order to give him some form of comfort. He was distraught about the news, but he was better at keeping it inside.

"Why is it so soon, niisan?" Inuyasha asked through his tears, not very good at keeping his emotions in.

Sesshoumaru probably knew that it was to keep the funeral business running. Besides that, the police wanted to get it out of the way so that they could get on with the investigations. "Even if they waited a longer time, we would never be ready," he admitted more to himself than his brother.

"I-I don't want to go, niisan. I don't want to." Inuyasha cried into his older brother's shoulder. "It hurts, niisan. It hurts a lot."

"I know, Inuyasha," he murmured almost too quietly for the boy to hear. "I know."

Inuyasha had eventually calmed down, his eyes even puffier than before and he sniffled, releasing his hold on Sesshoumaru. He remained quiet, afraid if he tried to speak he'd just cry again.

Sesshoumaru didn't know what to do. He didn't want to force Inuyasha to live through such pain if it was too much for him. Though, he also knew better than to leave Inuyasha on his own. He didn't want to separate himself from him. Now, he knew that Inuyasha was left by himself, he would grow scared.

"D-D-Do w-w-we have t-to see..." Inuyasha couldn't finish his sentence, his throat tightening up and he sucked back his tears.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "If you don't want to go, I'll arrange for you to go to a friend," he said, giving him an option. "I have to go, regardless."

Inuyasha thought about it for a moment, but the last thing he wanted right now was to be separated from Sesshoumaru. "No...I want to be with niisan."

Sesshoumaru gave him a serious look, gripping his brother lightly by the shoulders. "Are you sure?" he asked, silently hoping that the service wouldn't be open casket. That would be something even Sesshoumaru wouldn't be able to handle.

"I-I don't want to be away from niisan. W-What if something happens to niisan? I don't want to be alone." He whimpered out, trying his hardest to be strong.

Sesshoumaru gave a firm nod, having a feeling that Inuyasha would give that answer. "Well... I'm going to change my clothes," he sighed, rising up and letting go of his brother. He wanted to at least look presentable.

Inuyasha decided to do the same, but once he came to his closet, he didn't know what to choose. It was usually his mother who picked his clothing...and now she was gone...A new round of tears began to fall from his eyes.

Sesshoumaru found a nice pair of black slacks and a black dress shirt. It would have to do for now. Finding a hair band, he tired his hair back into a low pony tail. After putting on his socks and dress shoes, he walked into his brother's room only to find him crying.

"Inuyasha," he sighed. "Do you need help?"

Inuyasha nodded his head, not able to speak through his tears.

"Alright, then," Sesshoumaru sighed, walking over to his brother's closet and looking through his clothes. Finally finding some dress pants and a nice white button up shirt (he couldn't find a black shirt), he took them out and set them down beside his brother. Reaching up to the shelf in the closet, he pulled out socks and black dress shoes. "There."

"T-Thank you n-niisan..." Inuyasha murmured out, looking at the clothes before he began to change.

Sesshoumaru left his room while he changed, walking past his parent's room and stopping. The door was left wide open. Shaking his head slowly, he quickly made to shut the door.

Inuyasha was dressed, his tears had stopped and he walked out of his room. This was going to be the second longest day of his life.

The police officer picked up the two brothers and now they were at the funeral home. Inuyasha clutched Sesshoumaru's hand tightly, afraid to enter.

Sesshoumaru let out a deep breath, also inwardly scared of what he was to find. He lightly tugged on Inuyasha's hand, telling him to move so that he wouldn't make Inuyasha trip. They had to face their fears some time.

Inuyasha's mind went blank as his legs began to move on his own. He had no control over his own actions as his legs moved involuntarily. His hand still held onto Sesshoumaru tightly but other than that, he seemed to be in a trance.

Sesshoumaru saw his brother's blank expression and didn't know what else to do rather than to not let go of his hand. He heard the murmuring of the people as they saw them walk in. Friends from all over Japan were standing around the room. He saw their expressions of pity as they looked upon them. It irritated him for some reason.

Inuyasha blocked out the voices, not able to think clearly. He didn't know what was going on with him. He could hear his heart hammer in his chest, yet showed no indication of it. Emotions were gone from his face as he continued to hold onto Sesshoumaru's hand. Despite the odd looks and whispers he received as the emotionless young boy and his older brother at their parents funeral.

Sesshoumaru tried to ignore the people around them even when they tried to talk to them. Once his eyes spotted the caskets, he froze, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. It was a good thing that the boxes were closed, but it didn't help ease the pain of them being dead.

Inuyasha's blank eyes stared at the caskets, and his hand clenched Sesshoumaru's tighter but still stayed in his trance. "Okaa-chan..." He murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. The urge to cry began to rise but he forced it back down, determined not to cry anymore.

"Oh, those poor boys..."

"...They must be having a miserable time..."

"...I heard they had no other relatives near them..."

"...Should we offer our condolences?"

As more and more people talked, Sesshoumaru grew more and more irritated. Couldn't they just be left alone?!

Toning out the voices was becoming easier by the moment for Inuyasha, his eyes fixated on the caskets, but he was unable to move forward unless Sesshoumaru did so first.

Sesshoumaru had had enough. Turning to face the crowd gathering around him, he gave them all a cold glare.

"Could you all just leave us alone, please?" he asked in a cold fashion. When they all began to speak at once to apologize, he raised his voice. "PLEASE!" Instantly, all of them hushed and went back to murmuring in their own corners.

Inuyasha's ears twitched at the loudness of Sesshoumaru's voice, the sound of his brother's voice seem to pull him out of his trance, not entirely though. Inuyasha hadn't realized there were people talking around him, nor did he care. All they did was feel sorry for them, and he didn't want their pity and it was obvious neither did Sesshoumaru! Like he didn't get enough pity already for being a half demon, but now they were going to pity him because of his parents? No way in hell was he going to allow that. He released Sesshoumaru's hand, placing it at his side, putting on a strong face, despite how torn up he was on the inside.

After the long and painful experience of hearing people talking as if they knew their parents, everyone followed the paul bearers and watched as the caskets were placed in the hearses. The brothers rode in the car behind them, neither probably not finding any words left to describe their emotions at the moment. Finally, they arrived at the grave sites. Apparently, the couple were going to be buried together and their tombstones were already in place. Sesshoumaru felt numb as he heard the Shinto priest speak of them.

Inuyasha, already numb, could feel his emotions recede to the depths of his heart. He hated feeling like this...so sad...missing his mother. It was too much for the ten-year-old to bear. He didn't listen to the Shinto priest, not caring about his fancy words. He didn't care about their parents...no... they all came to pity him and his brother.

Sesshoumaru's expression went cold and nearly emotionless as he tried to hide his true turmoil. He couldn't stand the looks everyone gave him and Inuyasha. Even as they began to lower the caskets into the ground, he didn't flinch.

Inuyasha's eyes watched the casket go down, his eyes slightly widening as they became glossy, but no tears fell. His mother going into the ground...forever. He'd never see her again. All he had of her was pictures and momentums--but that wasn't enough for the hanyou child. He was only ten-years-old for crying out loud! He needed his mother! He really did! No one in the world could replace her!

"Okaa-chan..." He managed to say, as the silent tears trickled down his cheeks. "...please don't leave..."

Sesshoumaru's expression remained frozen in place, staring blindly at the coffin being lowered into the ground. Though, despite himself, tears trickled down his cheeks, expressing his inward emotions. It was a sharp contrast compared to his outward countenance. Why was him and his brother left by themselves at such a young age? Was his own mother's death not enough for the God they believed in?!

This wasn't fair! Why was they left without a mom and a dad too?! Why did he and Sesshoumaru have to go through life without their parents? Did God wish to see them sad? How could He do this to them? What did they ever do to deserve this?!

Inuyasha's heart tighten and he sucked back any tears. His emotions began to recede into the depths of his heart again, this time...they were going to stay there. If caring about someone and then losing them hurt this much--he didn't want to experience it again. Despite having his older brother, Inuyasha had a feeling the same thing was happening to Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve, sniffling as the caskets touched the ground finally.

Sesshoumaru stopped shedding tears after the first patch of dirt hit the coffins. It as if his emotions were being buried along with his parents. Now, all he could do was stare blankly at the caskets being covered with dirt. What would become of him and Inuyasha now?

"I want to go home." Inuyasha tugged on Sesshoumaru's arm, tearing his eyes away from the caskets that were being buried. He looked up at Sesshoumaru, not showing any emotion other than anger in his eyes. Angry over the fact that he and his brother were left without parents...angry that God took away his mother and father. He was just angry at everything now. And he wanted nothing more than to go home right now.

Sesshoumaru looked down at his brother's expression and noted the anger in his eyes. He couldn't agree with his brother's feeling more. However, unlike the anger that blazed in his brother's eyes, Sesshoumaru's expression only remained frigid. "Okay, we'll find some way to get home," he replied.

Inuyasha fell silent, his gaze shifted downwards as everyone began to leave. A police officer approached the brothers. "I will take you two home." He said, bowing in respect of the two.

Sesshoumaru was inwardly thankful that it was over. He didn't know how much more he could have stood. The car ride back home was filled with silence.

Once home, Inuyasha walked into his house sat down on the couch and began to watch TV...as if nothing had happened.

Sesshoumaru noticed his brother's new indifference to their parents' deaths. It worried him and yet, he did nothing about it. All he did was begin to prepare for the next day. Eventually, he'd have to go back to school, as did his brother.

Inuyasha watched TV until nightfall, and then went to take a bath, his facial expression didn't change, remaining the same the entire night.

Sesshoumaru hoped to himself that Inuyasha would get better after a night of rest and so thought it best to leave him be for the day. After doing his make-up work and homework, he took a shower and went to bed.

Inuyasha went to sleep, and the next day woke up and began to get ready to school. His school had a uniform dress code so it wasn't difficult to get ready.

Sesshoumaru was downstairs, already dressed and ready to go an hour before his brother was even awake. He decided that today was the day he'd get his brother to eat food. He wasn't the best cook in the world, but he knew how to make a few meals. Getting eggs out of the fridge, he prepared to poach them so that he could put them into a homemade ramen bowl.

Inuyasha could smell the food downstairs, the sounds of his brother walking around entered his ears... yet his stomach was uninterested in food. Despite the fact that he hadn't eaten in days...he just wasn't up to eating. He walked downstairs, not even bothering to go to the kitchen to see what his brother was cooking.

Sesshoumaru heard his brother's footsteps shuffling into the living room. It didn't seem like Inuyasha was still willing to eat. After he finished preparing his brother's meal, he sighed. He would have to get Inuyasha to eat sooner or later. Walking into the living room, he looked at his brother.

"Inuyasha," he addressed. "Do you realize how long it's been since you've eaten last?" His tone was calm and nearly hopeful.

Inuyasha didn't turn his head to his brother's voice. "No." He did realize but didn't care.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Okay... could you at least take some lunch money or something?" Even if he didn't use it to buy food, at least he could pretend not to worry for a while. He didn't know how much more patience he could have with his brother. All he was trying to do was take care of him like his parents would have wished.

"No." He repeated in his aloof tone, not even wanting to go to school today. His teacher was bound to tell them they had a death in the family and he was going to be a target for pity. That thought made his face harden, his arms crossing over his chest.

"If you're thinking about skipping school, don't even try it," Sesshoumaru said in a stern tone, warning his brother. He could tell that was a thought running through Inuyasha's mind.

"Keh." Was his response, standing up and then he headed to the door.

Sesshoumaru's eye twitched slightly. What the hell was wrong with his brother now? When did Inuyasha ever do this? Back before his parents died, his brother always tugging on his leg. So, his brother was trying to act out now? What the hell did he deserve to get this treatment?!

"Inuyasha, you're aware that you can't get to school on your own, I hope," Sesshoumaru replied, his voice growing colder by each word. It was either coldness or jumping over the table to smack some sense into his brother.

"School isn't that far of a walk." Inuyasha retorted, finding that each word that came out of Sesshoumaru's mouth annoyed him. Something was repelling him away from Sesshoumaru and he didn't fight it...instead he went with it.

"It's ten miles from here," he said in a blunt tone. His patience with his brother was thinning.

Inuyasha clenched his fist, turning around sharply to Sesshoumaru, anger visible in his face. "Stop trying to act like you're dad!" Inuyasha snapped, but suddenly his anger vanished in his face. He turned away, not able to face Sesshoumaru...his heart twisting in regret. But he had already said it, there was no way he could take it back.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, feeling the sting of the low blow his brother had given him. His expression then turned fiercely cold. He knew that his next words would cut through his brother worse than fists could though the temptation was overwhelming. "Just because it was your mother that died doesn't mean that I'm not suffering for it. Remember, that's _two _mothers I have lost." His eyes then narrowed into slits of near ice.

"Do you understand how much pressure I now have on myself?!" His voice raised, feeling the heat of his anger ebb off of him in waves. "I have to raise you and graduate high school so that we BOTH don't go homeless! Maybe you're too young to understand that right now, but if you don't cooperate with me, neither of us will make it through this!"

The anger override his feeling of remorse and anger blazed in his golden eyes. "She wasn't _your _real mother, Sesshoumaru! She was _mine_!" Inuyasha roared, clenching his fist, not caring how much it would hurt his brother.

Sesshoumaru let out a bitter laugh before he could stop himself. His voice lowered as he forced himself to calm slightly. "Inuyasha, I can't believe how much of an idiot you can be sometimes," he murmured more to himself more than towards his brother. "I'm perfectly aware of the fact that she wasn't my real mother," he told Inuyasha. "However, she might as well have been. When your mother dies when you're two, you don't remember anything about her." Sending a hard look at his brother, not even flinching at the fury in his eyes, he continued. "I'll make you feel better. I'll just start referring to her as _your _mother." When his brother became silent, he went on.

"I probably never told you about this, but when I was two, I only remember enough to know that I was about as ill-tempered as you are now when _my _mother died. When Father met _your _mother, I hated her at first. It took her a few months to get me to trust her. Long story short, she was the first human woman I could open up to. I was able to even _love_ her as a mother figure even though she wasn't really my true biological mother."Sesshoumaru shook his head, feeling his anger beginning to dissipate.

"When it comes to things like this, biological attachments shouldn't matter as much as the true love you hold for that person. Maybe you do hold more love for her than I can fathom, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm mourning her loss just as you are."

Inuyasha winced every time he said "my" or "your", each feeling like a stab through his heart but he tried not to show it. Inuyasha didn't know much about Sesshoumaru's real mother, and once again, like from his first outburst, he could feel regret in his words in his heart...but now...he didn't know what to feel. He didn't know what to say.

He opened his mouth to form words but nothing came out. He gritted his teeth, forcing down any emotions other than anger. "It's different...it's different when you're ten-years-old, Sesshoumaru! Being two and ten is different when you lose your mother...and being a half demon on top of that! You wouldn't know what it feels like when you come home after a day of being tormented by others and your mother is the only one who can comfort you!"

Inuyasha inhaled and exhaled. "But she isn't even here anymore! But those people are!"

Sesshoumaru felt like he was getting a headache with all of this sentimental talk, but he continued it.

"Inuyasha, this may sound cruel to you right now, but you need to hear it," he began. "I can't really understand the pain you have to go through being a half-demon, but you couldn't have possibly expected to run into your mother's arms for the rest of your life. Eventually, you'll have to stand up for yourself just like you're standing up to me right now."

Hardening his tone, he added, "I know how often she comforted you, Inuyasha. I live here, too. So, it's not too far of a stretch to also say that she'd be proud to see you be able to stand up for yourself in a few years time."

Inuyasha's eyes still narrowed at his brother, despite his response. "Whatever..." Inuyasha turned away, not caring if his brother was right or not. "...leave me alone, Sesshoumaru."Inuyasha couldn't look at his brother...he didn't even want to listen to him anymore. It annoyed him...in a way he could not understand or even begin to comprehend.

Sesshoumaru let out a sigh. Why was his brother being so difficult?

"If you don't want to go to school, I'll just call in and tell them," he told Inuyasha. It did seem impossible to go to school just after the funeral, after all. The only reason he was going back was because he knew that he couldn't miss too many days without getting stacks of homework.

"I'm going to school." Inuyasha snapped, clenching his little fist. "I don't need to miss any more days. I'll handle everything by myself so I don't need your help." He spat. Subconsciously, Sesshoumaru's words about standing up for himself were sinking into his mind and were taking affect.

"Fine, then," Sesshoumaru sighed, growing bored of Inuyasha's attitude problem. "If you think you can make it before the morning bell rings, you better make a run for it." All Sesshoumaru had to do was catch the Shinkansen and walk a few steps before school started.

"I will!" Inuyasha growled, glaring at his brother before walking out of the house. _Stupid Sesshoumaru..._ Inuyasha thought before he took off running towards his school. That would have been hard if he was human. He was now somewhat thankful to be a half demon.

---------5 Years Later---------

The morning sun was rising in the sky, but as usual, Sesshoumaru was awake long before the sun even peaked over the horizon. Today was a special day. He even took off a day of work to spend the entire day recollecting. Now, if only his brother woke up...

He was busy making breakfast for the two of them.

Inuyasha was laying in his bed, even after he heard Sesshoumaru go downstairs and begin to make breakfast. He closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts before finally getting up and getting dressed. He entered the kitchen just as Sesshoumaru finished making breakfast.

Instead of addressing his brother with a simple "good morning," Sesshoumaru said, "I'm glad to see you awake finally." He set out a plate for his brother before making his own plate.

"Keh, you think I'd sleep all day on _today_?" Inuyasha retorted before he began to eat.

"I'd hope not," Sesshoumaru scoffed. "We have to beat traffic, you know." He began eating from his own plate, not even putting a lot of food on it in the first place.

"Keh." Inuyasha replied, chugging some of his orange juice. He finished his food and placed the plate in the sink, rinising off any crumbs.

"Five years already..." Inuyasha murmured to himself, standing at the sink still.

_Five years... _Sesshoumaru mentally echoed, putting his own dishes in the sink. He wondered if Inuyasha would wash his plate or if he'd move so he could do it himself.

Inuyasha cleared his mind as he cleaned his plate and cup. He stepped to the side to allow Sesshoumaru to clean his dishes. "Come on, slow poke. Let's get going."

Sesshoumaru scoffed, cleaning off his plate and setting it to dry. "I'm the one who got up three hours before you."

"Keh, just because I wasn't walking around, doesn't mean I wasn't up." Inuyasha snorted, stretching.

"I made sure the car was working properly so everything else is in order," Sesshoumaru responded, grabbing a bouquet of flowers and the car keys.

Inuyasha put on his shoes and walked outside and to the car. "Come on...we're wasting time talking."

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he followed his brother out of the house and locked the door behind him. He walked up to the car and unlocked the doors before getting in, putting the flowers in the back seat, placing his seat belt on, and putting the key in the ignition.

Inuyasha kept quiet the entire wide, staring outside the window as they sat in traffic. _It's been five long years...since their deaths... _Inuyasha closed his eyes, memories playing in his mind.

Sesshoumaru hated traffic. He really did. He resisted the urge to deep at the car in front of him. The only calming oasis he had to turn to was the memories he had of his parents.

"Can't these cars move any faster?!" Inuyasha snapped, breaking away from his memories. "Damn idiots."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I wish."

It was a good thing that Inuyasha couldn't drive yet. He was sure the teen would have horrible road rage.

Inuyasha grumbled some more, his leg bouncing while he slumped against his seat. "So damn long..."

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to snap at his brother due to his impatience.

Thankfully, for the both of them, the traffic began to let up, allowing them to finally reach their destination after twenty more minutes.

Pulling over the car, he shut off the engine, taking the keys and the bouquet before locking the car. After his brother was behind him, he began to walk to where the graves were. It was nearly as if his feet were moving by themselves.

Inuyasha's hands were shoved into his pockets, he followed Sesshoumaru with his head down and his eyes looking at the ground. His legs moved on their own, following his older brother until he stopped.

The wind blew in between them, being the only sound heard. Sesshoumaru looked down at the gravestones that already had freshly placed flowers in front of each stone. He idly wondered who placed them there, but didn't really care enough to spend more than a minute thinking about it. He bent down and placed the bouquet in between the two stones.

Inuyasha stared at both graves, his eyes fell on his mother's with his hand shoved into his pockets still. He inhaled and exhaled.

"Hey tousama...okaachan..." Inuyasha began, feeling a piece of lead on his heart as he spoke. "...it seems like it's been a while since we've stood in front of your grave. A lot has happened this year...umm...I got a girlfriend, okaachan." Inuyasha scratched the back of his head, trying to keep the conversation as normal as possible without looking too weird.

Sesshoumaru cleared his own throat before beginning to speak in the same manner as his brother. "I hope you remember that girl I was talking about a while ago... Kagura," he began. "I'm planning to propose to her soon..." A small smile crossed his face momentarily at that thought. "I'm hoping to have your blessings."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes...he wasn't ready to have _that_ woman as his...sister-in-law yet.

"My girlfriend's name is Kagome Higurashi. We've been dating for six months...and she reminds me of you, okaachan." Inuyasha's tone got softer. "You'd like her, a lot. She's nice, beautiful, smart, though she can whine a bit... I like her a lot. I wish you two could have met."

Sesshoumaru saw his brother's reaction and did his best to ignore it. He didn't care what his brother really thought of Kagura. After his brother finished speaking, he began to add in his own words. "I'm also preparing to graduate college soon. I'm hoping to get a better paying job than the one I'm stuck at right now..."

"I'll be graduating from Junior High school in March...and I start high school in April." Inuyasha also added to his speech. "School is better now, I suppose. I've learned to stand up for myself now, no one picks on me."

Continuing where Inuyasha left off, Sesshoumaru added, "I'm thinking about starting law school. And..." He looked at his brother. "I think me and Inuyasha are getting along better than we used to. I suppose you two would be proud of us for that."

"Yeah, I guess we are." Inuyasha agreed. "Things are easier now for us. Not as hard as it was before." Inuyasha was silent for a moment before continuing.

"We miss you two a lot." He also added.

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement, feeling his heart of already melting ice turn into water at the sight of his parents' gravestones. "Even though you two weren't able to raise us until we were adults, we still turned out rather well."

"Yeah..." Inuyasha agreed, his voice trailing off. "Umm...Next time I come to visit, I'll bring Kagome, okay? She says she wants to meet you guys...and...and..." Inuyasha stopped himself, feeling if he spoke anymore, he might just break down and cry.

Sesshoumaru clearly heard his brother's voice crack. However, the two were at the point where "comforting" each other wouldn't work any longer. So, he didn't bother to try anything, knowing that his brother was strong enough to put himself back together. Looking at the graves, his eyes hardened as he prevented himself from expressing as much emotion as his brother.

Inuyasha found his voice, clearing his head before he spoke. "Well anyways, I hope you guys are proud of us. I didn't think we'd actually make this far but we did."

"I'll try to visit as much as I can..."

"As will I," Sesshoumaru murmured in a calm voice. He turned to look at his brother, wondering if he was ready to leave yet. Maybe if they were religious, they would have said a prayer, but unfortunately, they weren't.

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru, hinting it was time go. "Well...later tousama...okaachan. We'll return soon."

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement with his brother. The two turned around to go. However, before walking away, Sesshoumaru tossed a glance back to the bouquet of flowers waving in the wind.

Inuyasha looked back at the same time, quickly wiping his eyes as he followed his brother back to the car.

* * *

**And that is how Inuyasha became an angry, impatient jerk and Sesshoumaru being a stoic, cold and distant person. It all makes sense though, doesn't it? We all hoped you guys enjoyed reading this. It was a really sad topic but it seemed to be written well. **

**Visit our profile page for more one-shots and visit our RPG site. **


End file.
